Saturday, May 23, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1919, the secretary of the Arizona Live Stock Sanitary Board reported that Cochise County was swarming with cattle rustlers.

The discovery of a 750-year-old bone, first thought to be tied to the Nancy Guthrie case, has sparked a conversation about the ancient Hohokam people who occupied Arizona as long as 2,000 years ago. Learn more in Top Stories below.

A new report just exposed the five biggest financial fears haunting American retirees, and the findings are sounding alarms across the country. On The Flyover Podcast, Amy Hess reveals what those fears are, why so many Americans are being blindsided, and the critical steps families can take right now to set themselves up for success. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor, Lemonade Pet Insurance, helps pet owners manage rising vet costs with affordable plans starting around $10/month and flexible coverage designed to protect both your pet’s health and your budget.

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Second Arrest in Phantom Hacker Scam

A second person has been arrested in a “phantom hacker” scam that cost a 78-year-old Phoenix woman more than $400,000. Authorities say Gary and Jennifer Christopher were involved in a scheme to steal gold from the victim.

The woman was falsely told she was the victim of identity theft tied to a federal investigation, then persuaded to wire $24,000 and hand over $390,000 in gold to a courier—Gary Christopher—before growing suspicious and alerting the FBI.

Investigators say Jennifer Christopher helped by relaying instructions from the scheme’s handler, making travel arrangements, and sending her husband a video showing how to package and ship gold. She now faces a money laundering charge with bond set at $300,000.

Gary Christopher’s trial is set for Sept. 1.

Arizona Gas Hits $4.80 for Holiday Weekend

Nearly 1 million Arizonans are expected to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend, with the state’s average gas price now sitting at $4.80 per gallon, roughly 25 cents above the national average of $4.56.

The national figure is the highest in nearly four years, driven largely by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has rattled global energy markets and pushed up the cost of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel since the start of the Iran war.

AAA expected the worst congestion on Thursday and Friday afternoons. For those still coming or going, the agency is urging drivers to leave early in the morning or after dark to avoid stop-and-go conditions that burn through fuel faster.

A quick check of tire pressure, battery, and fluids before heading out can help avoid breakdowns, and gas-price apps can save 10 to 15 cents per gallon.

Ancient Bone Surfaces in Guthrie Search

A bone discovered by a YouTuber near the Tucson home of missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie—mother of Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie—turned out to be roughly 750 years old, belonging not to the missing woman but to a member of the Hohokam people.

The Hohokam inhabited Arizona from roughly 300 B.C. to A.D. 1450—building hundreds of miles of canals that still underlie Phoenix’s modern irrigation system. Their descendants include several of Arizona’s present-day tribes.

The Tucson Police Department confirmed the bone is unrelated to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance and cautioned that amateur investigators crowding the search area are complicating official efforts. Nancy Guthrie has been missing since February.

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➤ Chandler: The City Council tabled a vote on installing Flock Safety license plate reader cameras after community members packed the chambers with concerns about government surveillance, data privacy, and tracking technology in residential neighborhoods. (More)

➤ Northern Arizona: Police are searching for a suspect who allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted a juvenile. The suspect remains at large, and authorities are urging the public to contact local law enforcement with any information. (More)

➤ Buckeye: An inmate at the Lewis Prison complex has filed a claim alleging corrections officers beat him while on-duty cameras captured the incident. (More)

➤ Statewide: A new Noble Predictive Insights poll shows President Trump’s in-state approval has fallen to a net negative 17—his lowest mark of either term—driven by sharp erosion among independents and moderate voters. (More)

➤ Mesa: A man was indicted after allegedly stealing over $9,000 in power tools from six Home Depot locations using a “skip scanning” scam—paying for cheap items at self-checkout while walking out with higher-priced merchandise. His bond is set at $53,000. (More)

➤ Phoenix: Koen Harvey, Esha Marupudi, and Smriti Parajuli—all 14—will represent Arizona at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., competing against 244 of the country’s best spellers. Esha reached the finals last year. (More)

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➤ Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes will face live hitters next week, the biggest step yet in his rehab from Tommy John surgery last June. He’s targeting a return around the All-Star break. (More)

➤ Arizona men’s golf won the Marana Regional at 49 under par, and ASU men’s golf advanced from the Columbus Regional, with both teams punching tickets to the NCAA Championship in Carlsbad, California (May 29–June 3). (More)

➤ Arizona State softball continues its super regional series at No. 2 Texas today in Austin. (More)

➤ Isaiah Shaw, a 6-foot-8 wing from Northern Arizona University, is transferring to UConn men’s basketball. (More)

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➤ Memorial Day weekend is shaping up warmer across the Valley, with a high-pressure ridge pushing temperatures toward the upper 90s by Sunday and Monday. Northern and eastern Arizona may see a few showers. (More)

➤ Maricopa County health inspectors cited a viral coffee shop and a popular steakhouse this week, flagging old meat debris on a deli slicer and first-aid cream stored above prep tables. (More)

➤ A Washington woman has sued Alaska Airlines over injuries she says she sustained during a severely turbulent December 2024 flight from Seattle to Phoenix, joining a wave of turbulence-related lawsuits against carriers. (More)

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